Oct 8, 2011

What I'll be advocating

Wow! Come to find out the Occupy movement has come to Wichita....I am really interested in checking this out...was going to go tonight, but it is raining and I only have the motorcycle at the moment...and I wrote my brilliant speech on a napkin...OK, enough excuses! What I will advocate when I do make it out there is the following:

End the Fed. People are in the streets; we are clearly at a crucial moment. We are focused on the snake, when we have an actual chance to cut it's head off! Without the central bank and fiat currency, the corporatocracy's engine of oppression is left without gas in the tank. Also, no market intervention from the Fed means institutions that make bad decisions will no longer be bailed out by us- the taxpayer.

My proposition: Nullification of the Federal Reserve Act at the State level, and revoking the Act at the Federal level.

1. Draw up petitions to bring back to our communities. All activists can participate. These petitions will say I will not vote for you unless you draw up and/or support legislation that nullifies the Federal Reserve Act in Kansas. All other issues are set aside.

2. The same applies to legislators representing us in the House of Representatives or Senate. Their job is to repeal the Act at the Federal level, either drawing up legislation as such or supporting such efforts, or no vote.

Knowing we stand behind the legislators will help them have courage to stand up to the powerful interests, and corporate money at that point becomes irrelevant. If they fail to deliver, we will elect new representatives. Fundamentally, this forms a political climate favorable to candidates who are not beholden to special interests- empowering them while simultaneously rendering big corporate influence meaningless. We will be watching!

As another point of business, I would like to propose second idea:

Occupy Wichita Exodus...

...to Kansas City End the Fed protests in solidarity for this cause. An exodus would be a symbolic shift away from the Occupy (your city here) strategy to an Occupy (your Fed Reserve Branch here) strategy. This shift will focus the narrative on the head of the snake that is corporatism, with easily definable goals and historically precedented actions at our disposal.

At this point, it is unclear what may happen with the Occupy movement if it remains just an occupation. I think the police in many smaller cities (and some of the larger cities) are being incredibly restrained. This is a positive sign- this movement must remain peaceful. Non-violence from our side of these protests is crucial to maintain moral authority. Violence is their game- persuasion will be ours.

I know many are calling for an amendment to ban campaign contributions. Here is the text from Get Money Out:

"No person, corporation or business entity of any type, domestic or foreign, shall be allowed to contribute money, directly or indirectly, to any candidate for Federal office or to contribute money on behalf of or opposed to any type of campaign for Federal office. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, campaign contributions to candidates for Federal office shall not constitute speech of any kind as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution or any amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Congress shall set forth a federal holiday for the purposes of voting for candidates for Federal office."

While the motivation behind such an action may be well intended, this amendment would eliminate the right for anyone to petition the government. Under this scenario, an independently wealthy person would gain an unfair advantage over a candidate of more modest means, as the constituents cannot speak with their dollars as to which one will be the most beneficial. Further, making a monetary campaign contribution- directly or indirectly- is a federal crime at this point. Can you imagine the multitude of ways indirect monetary contribution can be construed?

Even if we supported the amendment, and it passed, why are we to believe the government will follow these dictates? This is the same government that tramples upon the constitution and bill of rights on a daily basis- on both sides of the aisle.

A solution that is a reduction of liberty makes no sense when we can affect a greater change and enhance liberty with a nullification/elimination of the Federal Reserve.